Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 62, Number 5, June 2003
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 629 - 635 | |
Section | General | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2003-00420-8 | |
Published online | 01 May 2003 |
On the concept of pressure in quantum mechanics
Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Universität Stuttgart Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany
Corresponding author: borowski@theo1.physik.uni-stuttgart.de
Received:
2
December
2002
Accepted:
25
March
2003
Heat and work are fundamental concepts for thermodynamical systems. When these are scaled down to the quantum level they require appropriate embeddings. Here we show that the dependence of the particle spectrum on system size giving rise to a formal definition of pressure can, indeed, be correlated with an external mechanical degree of freedom, modelled as a spatial coordinate of a quantum oscillator. Under specific conditions this correlation is reminiscent of that occurring in the classical manometer.
PACS: 03.65.Ge – Solutions of wave equations: bound states / 03.65.Ta – Foundations of quantum mechanics; measurement theory
© EDP Sciences, 2003
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